How are you all? 

I shall be continuing from my last post. 

Firstly, I will discuss some anti-Mawlid arguments.



Sheikh Assim al-Hakeem in the following video

explains why Muslim should not celebrate the Mawlid 

• One of the main arguments used is that the Prophet never celebrated Mawlid, neither did his companions. So why should we?
• The practice of Mawlid is an innovation and the Prophet forbade (bidah) innovation. Aisha (the Prophet's wife) reported that the Prophet stated "whoever introduces into this religion of ours something that we have not commanded it is to be rejected".
• The Prophet also stated “every (kul) innovation is a misguidance”. Therefore, the festival of Mawlid is haram and unacceptable and those who celebrate it will be punished in the hereafter. 

• Also the Prophet had revealed in his last meeting in Arafat “today I have perfected your religious law for you, and have bestowed upon you the full measure of My blessings, and willed that self-surrender unto Me shall be your religion” (Verse, 5:3). As the Prophet had declared he had completed the religion of Islam then nothing can be introduced or innovated into the religion of Islam such as the practice of celebrating the Prophet’s birthday.

Certainly, some interesting points made by the anti-Mawlid party, read further to find out some of the pro-Mawlid arguments.

One of the main argument presented by those who celebrate the festival of Mawlid is that: -

·   The Prophet was born on a Monday and he used to celebrate his birth by fasting on Mondays.

Shaykh Muhammad al-Husayni al-Ninowy 

briefly explains why the Mawlid is permissible.

·   Verse 10:58 “Say: ‘In (this) bounty (fadl) of God and in His grace (rahma) - in this then, let them rejoice: it is better than all (the worldly wealth) that they may amass!" is used by the pro-Mawlid party, in order to justify the practice of celebrating the Prophet’s birthday. It is considered that the word rahma in this verse refers to Prophet Muhammad, which Allah has commanded to rejoice. The pro-Mawlid party deduce that the word rahma refers to Prophet Muhammad because the Prophet is referred to rahma in numerous verses in the Qur’an such as in verses 3:164, 21:107 “and We have sent you (oh Muhammad) but as a Mercy (rahma) for Mankind” (21:107).

·      Not all innovations are prohibited as there are two types of innovations good and bad.

Shaykh Giles Sadek describes in a short video the 

notion of the two types of innovations

     

·         Bidah is split further into five categories and Mawlid is a bidah hasanah (good).

  Bid'ah and Mawlid - Sheikh Abdal Hakim

 Murad explains that Mawlid is good bidah

                                                       





    ·  The pro-Mawlid party explain that not everything which has been invented after the demise of the Prophet is unacceptable such  as Hajj visas, and the use of hotels in Makkah and Medina,  alarm clocks, phones, laptops and driving a car etc. According to the principles of Islamic jurisprudence a practice can only be classified as being prohibited, if it opposes the Qur’an or either the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad or the Shariah (Islamic Law). They also consider that the celebration of the Prophet's birthday "has its roots in the Shariah".

Definitely, some thought-provoking points made by the pro-Mawlid party also. 

One thing which can be noticed is the clear difference in how bidah is defined by both parties. 

• The anti-Mawlid party argue that innovation is bad and unacceptable and because Mawlid is an innovative practice it is impermissible. 

• Whereas, the pro-Mawlid party consider that there is a twofold definition of bidah, there is good and bad innovation and Mawlid is a good innovation.



I'm just going to take a break and have a

 

and I shall return soon with a post on how
 this debate creates disunity within
the Muslim community.